Authors: Kathryn Loch
Alyna’s humor vanished and she stared at him in sudden understanding. His chuckle faded just as quickly when he realized she was no longer laughing. “What? Did I say so
mething wrong?”
“
Nay, Garin,” she whispered. “Something just made a lot of sense to me.”
“
What do you mean?”
Her mind tripped over itself in its haste. She knew exactly what had to be done and it had to be done now. “Let’s get you dressed.”
“
Huh? But w
hy did you have me lift the table?”
“
Different idea. That can wait until later. Please, Garin, a light tunic, heavy boots.” She was nearly frantic with haste. She understood, she knew too well what needed to be done.
Garin’s confusion made him sluggis
h to cooperate, which only increased her urgency. Finally he was dressed. Alyna grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room.
“
Not the stairs, Alyna,” he whispered.
“
Don’t worry, Garin, I will guide you.”
Clinging to the banister, Garin reluctantly d
escended.
“
Father! Simon!” Alyna called.
Her father appeared at the bottom of the stairs like the black knight of legend. “What is it, Alyna? Is something wrong?”
“
Nay,” she said quickly.
Garin tried to stop when he heard her father but she hauled h
im after her.
“
I understand what is happening. Roger didn’t go through it because he’s not a knight.”
Her father frowned. “Slow down, Alyna. What are you talking about?”
“
Come with me to the list fields and I will explain.”
“
List fields?” Garin yelped
and ground to a halt. “What are you doing to me, Alyna?”
Her father’s anger melted into complete confusion.
“
Garin, I know what I’m doing, please trust me this once.”
He sighed softly and relaxed. “Why not? Geoff, do you have any idea what has gotten i
nto her?”
“
I was going to ask you the same thing.”
Alyna ground her teeth. “Where is Simon?”
“
List fields.” Garin and her father said in unison.
“
Then let’s go.”
She yanked Garin forward, nearly running while he plodded along behind her.
Outside the sun
shone brightly, the day turning very warm. Alyna prodded, tugged, and cajoled Garin the entire way. The soldiers who practiced in the field under Simon’s watchful eye came to an abrupt halt when they saw him.
“
Alyna,” Garin growled. “What in the hell ar
e you doing?”
She stopped in front of a huge practice dummy made of barley sacks filled with sand, hanging on a stanchion. Some sadist had painted a face on it. Alyna lifted a wooden sword used to train squires.
“
I realize this is beneath you,” she whisp
ered to Garin as she placed the sword in his hand. “But a real sword would destroy the practice dummy.”
“
What do you want me to do?”
She pulled his free hand to the dummy so he could gauge its distance. “This is the servant who laughed at you,” she whisp
ered and rapidly stepped back.
A terrifyingly quick and complete change descended on Garin. He growled and launched the sword in a swift overhand strike. It landed firmly where the dummy’s neck met its shoulder. Had it been real, the carnage would have
been terrible. Garin recovered his stance and cut at its midsection. The dummy folded then bounced back.
“
Simon,” she said so Garin could not hear her. “If something happens and he misses - remove anyone who laughs.”
“
No one will laugh, lady,” Simon rep
lied. “They know I will kill them if they do.”
“
Alyna,” her father said, his voice tinged with desperation. “You have just unleashed a raving lunatic.”
“
Nay
, father. I have given him an outlet.” She turned and faced him directly as Garin continued to pu
mmel the dummy. “Don’t you understand? That was why he exploded today. As everyone kept telling me, he is a knight not an artisan. He had no outlet for his anger.”
“
A knight should not vent his rage with a weapon.”
“
Father, what do you do when you are
angry and need to dispel it? When yelling and pacing don’t work
anymore
?”
He thought for a moment. “I ride, I go hunting, or...” he paused, suddenly realizing what Alyna meant. “I turn my attention to some labor...a physical exertion.”
“
Exactly. I kno
w a knight should not use his weapon in anger but right now it is the only thing Garin can do without his eyes. He needs a physical outlet for his frustrations. That was why he tossed the table and broke the chair.”
Her father watched for a moment. Gari
n, although angry, was still balanced and his blows sound. Geoff arched an eyebrow in appreciation. “Alyna, you are wise beyond your years.”
“
Aye,” Simon said. “I should have thought of this.”
“
As should I,” her father said.
They fell silent and watch
ed Garin pummel the practice dummy. He was a fine knight and his blows were clean and accurate even without his sight. In fact, Simon used the opportunity as training for the men. Having them note Garin’s stance and balance and how he was able to predic
t the swing of the dummy.
Alyna expected Garin to work awhile then stop. She frowned when his blows
continued. Slowly, she began to realize why her father said a weapon should never be lifted in anger. Fury still twisted Garin’s expression. Something
within him had changed. He moved away from the gentle man she knew and closer to the raving lunatic her father had mentioned.
Still his sword rose and fell, hacking at the dummy as if it were the epitome of everything evil and dark. Garin, his great str
ength and stamina still not fully recovered from his fever, began to fade, his grunts became gasps for air. Sweat soaked through his tunic, plastering it to his chest.
Alyna’s horror grew. Garin still didn’t stop although he found it harder and harder to
lift the sword. His legs were unsteady and he looked about ready to collapse. This might even bring the return of the fever. Alyna stepped forward.
Her father’s hand latched on her arm. “Nay, Alyna, let him finish this.”
She stared up at him, certain
he had lost his mind. The sun was at its zenith, the heat of the day awful. “Father, make him stop. I do not want him to fall ill again.”
Geoff shook his head. “Garin must finish this.”
Well, that made absolutely no sense. Was her father still mad at
Garin for throwing the chair? Maybe he saw this as a form of punishment. Alyna could not stand by and watch Garin drive himself into the ground. She stepped forward again but her father hauled her back.
“
Leave him be.”
“
He’s going to hurt himself.”
“
Aly
na, you started this. Now you have to see the results of your actions.”
“
If you’re doing this to punish me then stop it. Garin should not pay for my mistake.”
Simon returned and frowned down at her. “What’s wrong?”
“
I don’t think she truly understands,”
her father said.
“
Few women do even if they were raised by a knight,” Simon replied with a smile.
“
Are you both insane? Garin will kill himself at this rate.”
As if to add credence to her words. Garin dropped to his knees. His exhaustion was so great t
hat his stomach rebelled and he retched miserably.
Again, Alyna tried to step forward but her father’s hand tightened like a vice on her arm. “Not yet.”
Garin stopped retching and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and slowly rose. To her horror h
e lifted the sword again and returned to beating the dummy. His face was gray and his jaw set firmly. The cords in his neck stood out with the effort he exerted. He was pushing himself too far.
Unable to watch any more, Alyna turned her back, tears gath
ering in her eyes. What was wrong with these men? Couldn’t they see what Garin was doing to himself?
“
Alyna, listen to me,” her father said. “Your instincts were right to bring him here but you obviously don’t know why. Can’t you see that Garin is no l
onger beating the servant in his mind’s eye? He is fighting himself.”
She looked up at him, tears trickling down her cheeks. “Then he can only lose.”
Her father shook his head. “Nay, Alyna, the outcome is still not decided.”
Even though she was no longe
r watching she heard Garin’s grunt and then the thunk of the sword as it hit the dummy. Both were slower and not as strong. There was a louder thud as Garin fell to the ground and started retching again. She clapped her hands over her ears.
“
On your fe
et.” Geoff bellowed like a commander. “And you call yourself a knight? My squire could outlast you.”
Alyna morbidly turned her head and watched Garin crawl to his feet and raise his sword again.
“
Come on, Garin,” Simon shouted in the same tone. “Don’t
embarrass yourself. Your father trained you better than that.”
The battle continued. Grunt, thunk, grunt, thunk.
“
You’re getting sloppy,” Geoff snapped.
Alyna was certain her father was the devil in disguise.
But Garin’s back straightened. Somehow he fo
und the strength to once again take a
well-balanced
stance. He hefted the sword and stilled his shaking arm long enough to bring it into the proper position. For a moment, he achieved the perfection that he possessed when he first picked up the sword. W
ith a bellow, he launched a three strike combination to the dummy’s head, shoulder, and waist. The blows crisp, powerful, and balanced. Alyna witnessed
firsthand
why he had survived four years in the Holy War.
“
That’s it!” Geoff shouted and finally rele
ased her. Garin dropped to all fours, his chest heaving as he sucked air into his lungs.
Simon and Geoff knelt next to him. “Water
ed ale
!” Simon roared.
“
Nicely done,” Geoff said and tugged Garin into a sitting position. “You had me worried there.”
Garin sti
ll couldn’t speak. A young lad brought a
mug
. Simon held it to Garin’s lips and only allowed him a small drink. “Not too much, you’ll make yourself even sicker.”
Alyna could not bear to watch another moment. This was too strang
e. Simon and her father had allowed Garin to drive himself past exhaustion, even pushing him to go farther. Now they were praising his stupidity. And she had been the one to start the whole thing. Her hands clenched her skirts and she ran back to the k
eep.
****
Alyna had time to finish cleaning the remaining mess in their room before her father and Simon carried Garin through the door. They stood on either side of him, his arms over their shoulders. Poor Garin could barely stand. Alyna moved out of
the way while they cleaned him up and settled him in bed.
“
I’ll fix his tea,” she muttered.
“
No, Alyna,” Garin said. His voice was soft but she also heard conviction. “I don’t have a headache.”
She blinked at him. His head should be pounding mercilessl
y. She saw exhaustion lining his face but his blue eyes sparked vibrantly.
“
Just let him rest today,” her father said. “Make sure he gets plenty of water
ed ale
but not too much at a time.”
“
Yes, sir,” she spat.
Geoff frowned and she took an involuntary step ba
ck. She knew that look from childhood.
“
Simon, stay with him a moment.” His hand latched on her arm and he hauled her into the corridor. “Insolence is most unbecoming of you, daughter.”
She jerked away. “What do you expect? He could have killed himsel
f with that foolishness and you only encouraged him.”
Geoff rubbed the back of his neck. “Alyna, I know many times you have seen me training but some things you did not see because I would not allow it. This was one of them.”